Overview

Vaginal Infection - Symptom, Treatment And Causes

What is Vaginal Infection?

Vaginal infection is a condition when there is excessive yeast growth in the vagina. There will be intense itching, swelling and irritation in women who get this infection. Vaginal infection is bothersome for the women who experience it.

Causes :

Candida Albicans is the type of yeast that causes the vaginal infection. Yeast is generally present in the vagina and the growth of yeast is kept in check by lactobacillus bacteria. If there is an imbalance in the body, the bacteria cannot work and leads to overgrowth of the yeast. This condition causes itching and burning in the vagina. In some women, recurrent yeast infections will happen. If recurrent yeast infections occur, then the cause of the vaginal infection is another type of Candida yeast.

Anyone who is experiencing symptoms of vaginal infection should visit a gynaecologist. Gynaecologist will check whether the person had episodes of sexually transmitted disease. Pelvic exam is carried out to thoroughly check the vaginal walls and cervix. Vaginal sample test is prescribed for women who have recurrent episodes of vaginal infection.

Treatment for vaginal infection includes vaginal creams to remove the infection. Vaginal creams contain oil and hence have the ability to effect the latex of condom and other birth controls. It is best to avoid these birth control at the time of infection.

Simple yeast infections can be treated by a three-day regimen of ointments, anti fungal creams or suppository. The vaginal infection will cure on use of these medicines. A follow up to the doctor is required to check for recurrent episodes.

Complications :

Complicated vaginal infections can be caused due to a number of reasons like uncontrolled diabetes, pregnancy or HIV. These cause recurrent episodes of vaginal infections and hence need a more aggressive treatment. Here the women are given a 14-day cream or ointment and medications like antibiotics to treat the infections. Use of condoms during sex is also prescribed by the doctor to avoid further infection.

Popular Health Tips

Most women have their own distinct smell below the belt. It might be a little embarrassing to know that there is a feminine odor, sometimes foul, in the private parts of a lady. But, it is true that this smell can be a cause of concern as well. Vaginal odour is a symptom for sexually transmitted diseases like chlamydia and gonorrhea. Besides, a combination of factors including infection of the vaginal tract, unhygiene, gland secretions, sweating and improper clothing are responsible for vaginal odour.

Common reasons for vaginal odour:

Bacterial vaginosis: It is a very common phenomenon. Vagina contains bacteria, which are produced there naturally. Bacterial vaginosis refers to bacterial overgrowth. It leads to vaginal odour. Most women experience this condition at least once during their lifetime, especially in the reproductive years. Though the exact cause behind its occurrence is unknown, it can occur due to having unprotected sex or frequent douching.

Yeast Infection: The odour caused due to yeast infection is not very strong. But it has other symptoms like white vaginal discharge and itching. The discharge looks like cottage cheese and is caused due to the excess growth of yeast named Candida. There might be a burning sensation at the time of having sex or urination.

Sexually transmitted diseases: Vaginal odour is a symptom for STDs like chlamydia and gonorrhea.

Vaginal odour can intensify after having sex. It can also be caused due to inflammation of the pelvic region.

When is vaginal odour a signal for STDs?

Vaginal odour is normal. But, you need to watch out other symptoms to be sure that whether or not you are infected with STDs. If you have vaginal discharge, painful urination and difficulty in having sexual intercourse, there is a possibility of developing STDs. In case of STDs, the discharge is bloody or brown in colour.

Vaginal fungal infection, otherwise called candidiasis, is a typical female condition. Fungal infections are brought on by the growth Candida. This growth is connected with extreme itching, swelling, and irritation. Every fungal infection is distinctive. Therefore, your doctor will recommend a treatment that is best for you. Medicines are by and large decided depending upon the seriousness of the infection.

A particular type of yeast called Candida albicans brings about most of the fungal infections. These fungal infections are effectively treatable. In case you are having repeating infections or issues disposing of an infection with ordinary treatment, then an alternate form of Candida may be the cause. A lab test can tell your doctor which sort of Candida you have. Here are a few ways with which you can deal with vaginal fungal infections:

A one to three-day application of an antifungal cream, balm or tablet Normal antifungal medicines is butoconazole (Gynazole), miconazole (Lotrimin), Monistat, and terconazole (Terazol). These medicines can be either prescribed or available over-the-counter.

A solitary intake of oral medicine, for example, fluconazole (Diflucan).

Women with simple fungal infections need to follow up with their specialist to make sure whether the medicine worked. A follow-up will likewise be important if your symptoms return within two months.

Complicated infections
Certain types of Candida will not react to simple treatment and will require a more forceful strategy. In case you meet one of the following criteria, your specialist will more likely tell you that your fungal infection is an extreme one.

Like many systems within the human body, the reproductive system is also a self maintaining one and performs many complex functions on its own. The female reproductive system is one such system and within it, the vagina is an especially good example. It is a self contained system wherein, the balance of the vaginal bacteria is maintained for proper health.

Douching
Douching is a process that involves the cleaning out or washing of an internal cavity of a body, such as the anus or the vagina with the help of water and special nozzles. Vaginal douching has become prevalent among women, mostly due to aggressive marketing campaigns which claim that it helps to keep the vagina clean. It is estimated that in developed nations, one in four women perform douching regularly.

Is it any good?
Vaginal douching has been reviled by most medical professionals around the world. The consensus is that not only does vaginal douching have no benefits; it may also be harmful for your vagina in general. The vagina is an ecosystem wherein multiple types of organisms thrive, including bacteria and fungi. These organisms keep each other in check and maintain the health of the organ. These organisms help maintain the pH Levels (the alkaline to acidic radio) within the vagina. Douching may actually disrupt the balance and cause harm by destroying one type of micro-organisms and letting the other proliferate, thus causing infections and other problems.

Problems caused by vaginal douching
Douches, especially the ones found in the market, contain elements such as iodine, baking soda, vinegar and other chemicals that can make the delicate vaginal balance go haywire. Some of the disorders that can be caused by it are mentioned as follows:

Yeast infections: This is due to the proliferation of the fungi known as ‘candida’ within the vagina. This fungus is present within the vagina, but douching can reduce the bacteria that counteract it, resulting in rapid growth. This is one of the most common infections of the vagina.

Bacterial vaginosis: Similar to how yeast infections occur, in this case, harmful bacteria proliferate within the vagina. This is also a common vaginal infection and douching has been deemed as one of the leading causes for it.

Pelvic inflammatory diseases: Douching pushes the bacteria of the vaginal canal into the cervix and the uterus, resulting in infections such as PID or pelvic inflammatory diseases (an infection in the reproductive organ in females).

Pregnancy related problems: A myth has been floating around that if a woman performs douching after sexual intercourse, it will wash away the sperm and hence prevent her from getting pregnant. In fact, the reverse is true. Douching can often push the sperm up into the uterus causing pregnancy. Not only that, pregnancies caused in such a manner have higher chances of bearing complications such as ectopic pregnancies (a condition wherein the fertilized egg gets implanted outside one’s uterus), birth defects, etc.

Irritation and vaginal dryness: Douching at the very least will result in the vagina turning dry as the natural mechanisms are disrupted. This results in irritation and itching.

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Vaginal fungal infection, otherwise called candidiasis, is a typical female condition. Fungal infections are brought on by the growth Candida. This growth is connected with extreme itching, swelling, and irritation. Every fungal infection is distinctive. Therefore, your doctor will recommend a treatment that is best for you. Medicines are by and large decided depending upon the seriousness of the infection.

A particular type of yeast called Candida albicans brings about most of the fungal infections. These fungal infections are effectively treatable. In case you are having repeating infections or issues disposing of an infection with ordinary treatment, then an alternate form of Candida may be the cause. A lab test can tell your doctor which sort of Candida you have. Here are a few ways with which you can deal with vaginal fungal infections:

A one to three-day application of an antifungal cream, balm or tablet Normal antifungal medicines is butoconazole (Gynazole), miconazole (Lotrimin), Monistat, and terconazole (Terazol). These medicines can be either prescribed or available over-the-counter.

A solitary intake of oral medicine, for example, fluconazole (Diflucan).

Women with simple fungal infections need to follow up with their specialist to make sure whether the medicine worked. A follow-up will likewise be important if your symptoms return within two months.

Complicated infections
Certain types of Candida will not react to simple treatment and will require a more forceful strategy. In case you meet one of the following criteria, your specialist will more likely tell you that your fungal infection is an extreme one.

To keep the vagina healthy and clean, a pale white, odourless fluid is discharged from the vagina. However, in cases where there is an infection in the vagina, this discharge may change in terms of both colour and odour. This condition is known as leucorrhoea and can affect women of different ages. There are two types of leucorrhoea:

Physiologic changes
In such cases, the discharge is caused by a fluctuation in hormonal levels. It usually affects girls going through puberty, women in the state of sexual excitement or in the first trimester of pregnancy and newborn baby girls.

Inflammatory or pathological
This type of leucorrhoea may be triggered by a number of conditions including vaginal yeast infections, cervicitis and trichomonal vaginitis. Some of the symptoms of this infection are:

Pain in vulva have Soo many causes,,xylocaine is local numbing agent,it's not the solution,,i think u need homoeopathic treatment for this purpose,,by proper homoeopathic treatment only it will be better

Dear user. The following may be the causes of LEUCORRHOEA:
Improper or bad eating habits.
Eating spicy and fried foods and lots of carbohydrates.
Accumulation of toxins in the body.
Unhygienic living conditions.
Wounds produced by itching.
Bacterial Infection.
Anaemia and diseases like diabetes etc,
Hormonal disturbances.
Please consult your gynecologist for determination of the cause and for further treatment. Take care.